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Nintendo Music is real, but it is not a separate music subscription. Nintendo launched the service on October 30, 2024, as a mobile app for Nintendo Switch Online members. It now also supports web-browser listening, where available. The app is free to download, while music access requires a paid Nintendo Account membership.
For U.S. listeners, Nintendo Switch Online starts at $3.99 for one month, $7.99 for three months, or $19.99 for 12 months. In return, subscribers get an official, Nintendo-focused soundtrack library with offline in-app playback, playlists, spoiler controls and game-specific listening tools—not a general replacement for Spotify or Apple Music.
What Nintendo Music actually is
Nintendo Music is Nintendo’s official soundtrack streaming service for compatible smartphones, tablets and web browsers. Nintendo describes it as a benefit of Nintendo Switch Online, so the important distinction is:
- The Nintendo Music app costs nothing to download.
- Listening requires an active paid Nintendo Switch Online membership and a Nintendo Account.
- The catalog focuses on Nintendo-published or Nintendo-associated game music rather than the entire video-game-music market.
- Nintendo Switch hardware is not the playback device; listening is designed for a compatible smart device or browser.
Nintendo explains the service in its official support guide. Availability and features can vary by country, operating system and app version.
#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
When did Nintendo Music launch?
Nintendo announced and released Nintendo Music on October 30, 2024. Its launch announcement presented the app as access to nearly 40 years of Nintendo game music at no additional charge for Nintendo Switch Online members. That wording describes the service’s historical launch positioning; it does not mean every Nintendo soundtrack from that period is included today. Nintendo continues to add releases.
Current information is available in Nintendo’s launch announcement.
How much does Nintendo Music cost?
There is no separate Nintendo Music fee. The required purchase is Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo’s U.S. pricing page, checked August 18, 2026, lists these prices:
| Membership | U.S. price | What it means for Nintendo Music |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, 1 month | $3.99 | Includes service access while active |
| Individual, 3 months | $7.99 | Includes service access while active |
| Individual, 12 months | $19.99 | Includes service access while active |
| Family, 12 months | $34.99 | Eligible family-group accounts can use included benefits |
| Individual + Expansion Pack, 12 months | $49.99 | Includes Nintendo Music, but Expansion Pack benefits are not needed for it |
| Family + Expansion Pack, 12 months | $79.99 | Includes Nintendo Music, with additional Expansion Pack benefits |
Prices differ by country and may change. Check Nintendo’s current U.S. pricing information before purchasing. Calling Nintendo Music “free” is therefore misleading: the download is free, but playback is a membership benefit.
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- 6.2” LCD screen
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
- Nintendo Switch is the home of Mario & friends
Which games and soundtracks are included?
The library is curated and changing, not a guaranteed archive of every Nintendo release. The current U.S. App Store listing names examples such as:
- Mario Kart World and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Pikmin 4
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Ocarina of Time
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Pokémon Scarlet, Pokémon Violet, FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version
- Splatoon 3
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Bros.
- Wii Sports, Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country
Additional soundtracks are promised, but release timing and franchise coverage are not uniform. Search the current in-app or web catalog for a particular game before subscribing, especially if one soundtrack is your main reason for joining.
See the official App Store listing for the current published examples.
Features that make it different
Streaming and offline app playback
Tracks stream over an internet connection, and the mobile apps can download selected music for offline playback. These downloads remain inside Nintendo Music; they are not MP3, AAC, FLAC or other transferable files that you own. Nintendo’s support materials state that the web version does not support downloading.
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- Play your way with the Nintendo Switch gaming system. Whether you’re at home or on the go, solo or with friends, the Nintendo Switch system is designed to fit your life. Dock your Nintendo Switch to enjoy HD gaming on your TV. Heading out? Just undock your console and keep playing in handheld mode
- This model includes battery life of approximately 4.5 - 9 hours.
- The battery life will depend on the games you play. For instance, the battery will last approximately 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (games sold separately)
- Model number HAC 001( 01)
Search, playlists and recommendations
You can search by game, track, playlist or screenshot/game imagery. The service supplies playlists organized around characters, moods, activities and in-game contexts, while personal playlists, favorites, recommendations, volume controls and playlist management provide ordinary streaming conveniences.
Spoiler prevention
Spoiler prevention can limit music from games you have not finished. This matters because a track title, album image or recognizable musical motif can reveal a location, character or story event. It is an unusually game-aware feature for a music app.
Extended playback
Selected tracks can be played as longer background sessions of 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minutes. This suits studying, working, sleeping or ambient listening, but it is not a universal looping control for every track. Game music designed to loop can behave differently from a conventional album recording.
Animal Crossing hourly music
Some Animal Crossing playlists can match local time to the corresponding in-game hourly music. The App Store listing associates the feature with playlists such as “A Sunny Day,” “A Rainy Day” and “A Snowy Day.”
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- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- 6.2” LCD screen.
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
Sleep timer and background listening
Background playback lets music continue while the screen is off or another app is open. Nintendo added a sleep timer in version 1.2.1 on June 10, 2025. Menu labels can change, so use the current controls shown in your app.
Car integration
The current iOS listing records Apple CarPlay support in its June 2026 version history. Nintendo’s support hub also contains Android Auto information and troubleshooting. Phone, vehicle, region and app-version compatibility can affect whether either system appears.
Where can you use Nintendo Music?
Nintendo lists the service for supported iPhone and iPad devices through the App Store, Android devices through Google Play and, under its current support documentation, compatible web browsers. The iOS listing requires iOS 16.0 or later and added iPad support in version 1.6.0 on June 2, 2026.
The United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, much of Europe, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and several Latin American markets are among the listed regions. Nintendo says more may be added. Confirm your country using the official region list; availability is not worldwide.
Best Value
- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
- Two players can each take one
- Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)
- Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
How to get started
Mobile app
- Open the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
- Search for Nintendo Music and verify that the developer is Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- Install the free app.
- Sign in with the Nintendo Account linked to an active paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- Choose a game, album, track or playlist.
- Use the download control for supported offline playback.
- Adjust spoiler prevention, extended playback, sleep timer, playlists and volume settings as needed.
Internet access is needed for sign-in, catalog access, streaming and downloads; mobile data charges may apply. Leave enough device storage for offline content. The official iOS entry point is Nintendo Music on the App Store. Android users should use the official Google Play listing for their region.
Web version
Nintendo’s support documentation describes browser access and includes guidance on recommended browsers. Web playback is useful when you do not want to install the app, but browser functionality is not identical to mobile functionality: Nintendo specifically says tracks cannot be downloaded through the web version.
What happens if Nintendo Switch Online expires?
Allowing the membership to expire removes the entitlement to use the music service, so you should not expect downloaded tracks to keep playing. Nintendo’s support hub also indicates that some account-data and playlist-management functions may remain available after cancellation, including playlist deletion under the implementation described in its version-history documentation. That residual access is not full playback access.
Nintendo Music compared with other options
| Service or format | Best reason to choose it | Main drawback for Nintendo soundtrack fans |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Music | Official Nintendo-focused catalog, spoiler controls, game-aware playlists, offline app playback and extended listening | Requires Nintendo Switch Online and has selective coverage |
| Spotify | Broad general catalog and social playlist features | Nintendo soundtrack availability is inconsistent and incomplete |
| Apple Music | Broad catalog and strong Apple-device integration | Not a dedicated Nintendo archive; releases vary by soundtrack and region |
| YouTube or YouTube Music | Often easy to find obscure or user-uploaded tracks | Uploads can disappear, be unofficial, mislabeled or incomplete |
| Physical soundtrack releases | Ownership of a particular album or edition | Limited, costly, region-specific and less convenient for browsing |
Nintendo Music is therefore a catalog-and-access choice, not a price-only competitor to general streaming services. It also does not provide unrestricted ownership of the audio.
Who should subscribe?
Good fit
- You already pay for Nintendo Switch Online and want official Nintendo music at no additional charge.
- You want Nintendo-focused discovery rather than a broad artist catalog.
- You value offline phone or tablet listening, spoiler protection or themed playlists.
- You use game music for work, study or sleep and can use extended playback.
Proceed cautiously
- You want every Nintendo soundtrack, including obscure or newly released titles.
- You do not otherwise need Nintendo Switch Online.
- You want permanent, transferable audio files.
- You need detailed composer, performer or production metadata like a specialist music database.
- You live outside a supported region or need identical features on the web, iOS and Android.
Do not buy the Expansion Pack solely for Nintendo Music; the standard Nintendo Switch Online membership is the economical choice unless you also want the Expansion Pack’s games and other benefits.
Verdict
Nintendo Music is an unusually focused and convenient way to hear official Nintendo soundtracks. It is especially compelling for existing Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, because the music library is included in a membership they already use. Its value is weaker for someone seeking a complete Nintendo archive, a broad general-purpose music service or files they can own permanently. Check your region and search for the specific soundtrack you want before subscribing.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
